Painting #4 of 2010

I finished my fourth painting of the year. This is another painting of Park City, UT. I've found landscapes are so much more relaxing. I'm also really excited to learn that I really can paint a little when the kids are up and running around. They're starting to get used to it and leave me alone. Amazing and exciting.

I'm really excited that tonight I'm going with my friend Mari to the Park City Gallery stroll. I just found out the last Friday of every month they have a Gallery stroll from 6-9 pm. I can't wait! Since it's the Sundance Film Festival it's going to be pretty crazy. I'll let you know later who my favorite artists and Galleries are.

I'm starting to wonder what am I going to do with 50+ paintings. And Tara you asked what will I do when I'm on vacation. You've thought it through more than I have. One good thing ( I guess ) is we hardly ever go on vacation. But we do have some planned. I'll have to work extra hard the week before or maybe paint watercolors that week.

I found out my 19 month old son is going to have another surgery, probably next month, on his skull. Poor little buddy. He had a surgery at 7 months and wore a helmet for a year, but it didn't really work. We knew that it might not. We started with the smaller surgery hoping that it might do the trick. He was born with craniosynostosis. That's were the skull fuses too early and causes the head to grow crooked - it's normally suppose to fuse at around 18 months. So he was born with his right side of the skull fused together. They went in at 7 months and took out the fused section to allow his head to grow normally and the helmet was to help it form correctly. Well, he still has no eyebrow bone above his right eye. They are going to create one so his eye can be protected. I've been dreading this. I can't really think about it. We just have to do it. I just hate to think of him going through any pain. But I guess life includes pain - just wish I could take it for him.

Summer Shadows

Here's my third painting for January. I learned a lot with this painting. It was my most difficult. It seemed like I was on a roller coaster ride. At one moment I loved it, then I thought it was awful, then after working on it more I thought it was ok. I ended half pleased. I have so much to learn about mixing colors. Portraits seem so much more difficult to even see what the colors are. I'm hoping after awhile I'll learn enough to be able to fix it to where I love it. This is my son after spraying himself down with the hose on a hot summer day. So I'm calling it Summer Shadows.

January 2010 The Challenge

This is my second painting in January, called "Mom's Hiding Place". In September last year I went to Park City all by myself and found this super spot - a mother's dream - quiet, beautiful, a running stream and no one around but me. It was just what I needed. Before the 24 hours were over I was renewed and eager to see my family again. I was surprised how much I missed them.

I began this new year with a personal challenge. I have to complete one painting by Friday night each week of the year. I decided to do this because I've been talking about painting, dreaming about painting and wanting to paint, but hardly ever doing it. This forces me to plan what I want to do and really do it. This year is not about talking, but doing. This is my first painting in January called "Lehi pasture".

I was always afraid to show people my art, but now I'm going to free myself from that fear by allowing everyone to see it. I have mostly worked with watercolors, but now I've decided to learn oils. It's very different and I love the strength and gloss of the colors.

I'm a very busy mother of 4 children (ranging from 19 months to 10 years). I love my family so much. They bring me so much joy. Painting allows me to spend some time doing something I love. I learn each painting I do so I know by the end of the year I will have improved a lot.

My studio is a little corner of our family room. I dream of having a studio where I can have a quiet space and not have to put my paints away each day (for fear of poisening my youngest child). But life is good and I'm thankful for what I have. My children build me up and tell me I'm a great artist. When the kids are all gone to school it's something I would love to do full-time. I've spent most spare moments looking at other artists work. Now it's time to create my own.

I'm sure my dream is like many others. I've always believed in pursuing my dreams, but I've been on hold for a very long time. I think homemakers need something just for them more than anybody else. If somethings missing in your life maybe it's the pursuit of your dream. Right now since I've began my life feels so full. There's nothing else I need. I'm feeling so excited looking around and trying to decide what my next paintings will be. I see beauty all around - even right outside my door. Life is awesome! Come join me.